Do you pay capital gains on Treasury bonds?
A bond's tax-exempt status applies only to the bond's interest income. Any capital gains generated from selling a bond or bond fund before its maturity date is taxable, regardless of the type of bond.
Interest income, which is typically paid on a semiannual basis. Whether this income is taxable will depend on the issuer. Interest from corporate bonds is generally taxable at both the federal and state levels. Interest from Treasuries is generally taxable at the federal level, but not at the state level.
Interest on I bonds is exempt from state and local taxes but taxed at the federal level at ordinary income-tax rates.
Bonds can generate interest income and capital gains or losses depending on how interest rates change. Bonds provide investors with regular interest payments. These payments are treated as income and taxed accordingly in the year that the interest payments are received.
Key takeaways. Treasury bills have short-term maturities and pay interest at maturity. Treasury notes have mid-range maturities and pay interest every 6 months. Treasury bonds have long maturities and pay interest every 6 months.
- Report interest each year and pay taxes on it annually.
- Defer reporting interest until you redeem the bonds or give up ownership of the bond and it's reissued or the bond is no longer earning interest because it's matured.
Key Takeaways. Interest from Treasury bills (T-bills) is subject to federal income taxes but not state or local taxes. The interest income received in a year is recorded on Form 1099-INT. Investors can opt to have up to 50% of their Treasury bills' interest earnings automatically withheld.
Capital gains yield is calculated the same way for a bond as it is for a stock: the increase in the price of the bond divided by the original price of the bond. For instance, if a bond is purchased for $100 (or par) and later rises to $120, the capital gains yield on the bond is 20%.
T-Bill Tax Considerations
The interest income that you may receive from investing in a treasury bill is exempt from any state or local income taxes, regardless of the state where you file your taxes. However, you will need to report interest income from these investments on your federal tax return.
Legacy Treasury Direct: Getting your IRS Form 1099
If you still have securities in Legacy Treasury Direct, we mail you a 1099 at the beginning of each year. If you need a duplicate 1099-INT form for the current tax year, call 844-284-2676 (free call) or, from outside the United States, +1-304-480-6464.
How are discount Treasury bonds taxed at maturity?
For bonds with very small discounts: If the discount is less than 0.25% of the bond's face value times the number of years to maturity, the discount is taxed as a capital gain in the year the bond matures.
Compared with Treasury notes and bills, Treasury bonds usually pay the highest interest rates because investors want more money to put aside for the longer term. For the same reason, their prices, when issued, go up and down more than the others.
In general, you must report the interest in income in the taxable year in which you redeemed the bonds to the extent you did not include the interest in income in a prior taxable year.
The types of Treasury bonds include Treasury bills, Treasury notes, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), and Floating-rate notes (FRNs). The different types of Treasury bonds differ in maturity dates, interest payments, and where they are sold.
This time has been different: The 10-year Treasury yield has been hovering in a range above where it was when the Fed last hiked in July 2023. We believe the historical relationship should hold and we expect the 10-year Treasury ultimately to decline modestly from current levels as growth and inflation slow.
If you're looking for a short-term investment with low risk, Treasury bills are a great choice. However, if you're looking for a longer-term investment that yields semiannual income with a consistent interest rate, buying Treasury bonds is likely the better choice.
Cons: Rates are variable, there's a lockup period and early withdrawal penalty, and there's a limit to how much you can invest. Only taxable accounts are allowed to invest in I bonds (i.e., no IRAs or 401(k) plans).
| Face Value | Purchase Amount | 30-Year Value (Purchased May 1990) |
|---|---|---|
| $50 Bond | $100 | $207.36 |
| $100 Bond | $200 | $414.72 |
| $500 Bond | $400 | $1,036.80 |
| $1,000 Bond | $800 | $2,073.60 |
Treasury can withhold some of your interest payments to help defray your tax burden. We'll transfer your withholdings to the IRS and report the withheld amount on Form 1099 – I N T under “Federal Income Tax Withheld.” TreasuryDirect. Simply access your account and schedule the percentage you want withheld.
Capital gains are taxed at different rates depending on whether they're short-term or long-term. Short-term capital gains apply if you hold the bond for one year (365 days) or less. Then the gain is taxed at your ordinary income tax rates. Long-term capital gains apply if you hold the bond for more than one year.
Are bonds taxed when cashed in?
They are still taxable. The interest income of the savings bond will be taxed to the bond's owner—i.e., the recipient of the gift—when the bond matures and is redeemed for cash (or the owner will be taxed each year if they elect to report the interest income annually).
The 3-Month Treasury bill is a short-term U.S. government security with a constant maturity period of 3 months. The Federal Reserve calculates yields for "constant maturities" by interpolating points along a treasury curve comprised of actively traded issues of term (e.g., 1 month) maturities.
This means right now, the law doesn't allow for any exemptions based on your age. Whether you're 65 or 95, seniors must pay capital gains tax where it's due.
In this example, you see a capital gain of $100,000 on your home sale. If your income and asset class put you in the 20% capital gains tax bracket, you pay 20% of your profit. That's 20% of $100,000, or $20,000. You don't need to pay 20% of the entire $350,000 sale because you had to spend $250,000 to buy the asset.
Bills can be scheduled for reinvestment for up to two years; other eligible Treasury marketable securities can be scheduled to reinvest one time. When your bill matures, the proceeds will be reinvested or used to purchase the next available security of the same type and term as the original purchase.
